Scott expedition 'not just about reaching the pole'

On the centenary of his reaching the South Pole, Captain Scott's
granddaughter, Dafila Scott, explains that his expedition was not just
concerned with that goal but was also dedicated to the scientific research
undertaken along the way.

7:00AM GMT 17 Jan 2012

Beaten in their race to the South Poleby Roald Amundsen, the explorers' bodies were found alongside their letters and diaries in November 1912, with Scott's famous final entry on March 29 revealing his despair as they were stranded by the weather and ending: "For god's sake look after our people."

“They were still carrying 35 pounds (16 kilograms) of geological specimens on their sledge when their bodies were found,” said Captain Scott's granddaughter, Dafila Scott.

Scott’s expedition, which reached the pole on 17th of January 1912, delivered examples of 2,109 animals and fish, 401 of which had never been seen before. They also brought a huge number of rock samples, as well as Emperor penguin eggs and plant fossils.

Her grandfather was not only interested in racing to the South Pole but was also meticulous in documenting the scientific research that was done during the trip.

“They spent whole days looking for fossils when they could have been travelling on (to the pole),” she said.

A new exhibition commemorating the ill-fated adventure will open at the Natural History Museum on Jan 20, three days after the 100th anniversary of the explorers reaching the pole.

Artefacts such as clothes, sledges and pickaxes will be reunited with scientific specimens collected by the explorers on the Terra Nova expedition, as well as a re-creation of the wooden hut at base camp.